The Christmas Plan
by BaronessBlixen
Summary: AU for "The Fight Before Christmas": Freddy Crane spends Christmas with his dad and decides to play matchmaker.
1. Chapter 1

The Christmas Plan

**A/N:** I wanted to write something for Christmas this year, but lately I seem to be lacking the time. I hope to get up the second (maybe third) part up as soon as possible. I at least wanted to start in time for Christmas. So everyone: Happy Holidays!

As for the story, very AU, but it has to be this way. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Frederick Crane found himself on his way to Seattle. Originally the plan had been to spend Christmas at home in Boston with his mother, but then his father had fallen ill on his birthday. Freddy had realized that his father was growing older. Young people didn't just pull out their backs after all, especially not while trying to pick up a muffin. His father had sounded terrible on the phone; almost as if he were drunk, but then again not. He had sounded sick. In fact he had sounded so sick that even his mother had been worried. His mother was never worried about his father. Never. She usually wasn't worried at all. There was reason and logic for everything. People simply got older, their bodies became frail. To her these things were the normal cycle of life. Freddy was only just beginning to realize how things were really changing in the grown up world of which he was not yet a part of.

Part of flying out to Seattle for Christmas was punishment. At Thanksgiving, he had tried to trick his parents into buying him a mini bike. Smart as they were, they had caught – and grounded – him. Freddy had never been grounded. He liked staying at home, there was no reason to force him to. Lately he had found joy in hanging out with other kids. Children that were, as his mother always said, less bright than him. Freddy didn't care so much. They were nice to him and not everyone was. So instead of celebrating with his mother and meeting his friends the following days, Freddy would spend the holidays with his father. He loved his father very much and loved spending time with him. Sometimes he tried too hard though. Freddy hoped he would get to spend some quality time with his grandfather. He was a great guy, much more exciting than his father actually. Of course the person he looked forward to seeing the most was Daphne. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. The way she smelled, too! Freddy thought about it right before they were going to land. He knew she was going to pick him up, because she often did. She was something like a maid, he figured. Not that it mattered to him.

Just like he had expected and hoped, Daphne was waiting for him. He grinned at her, then he remembered he didn't want her to think of him as some silly child so he closed his mouth again. She held one of these self-made posters with his name on it. It said F. Crane and made Freddy feel real grown-up. His heart beat quicker than a butterfly as she engulfed him in her arms. At least she wasn't angry with him after what he had tried with his parents. Seeing her made him feel guilty anyway. He didn't understand it, but he couldn't shake the feeling off.

"Your father is so happy to celebrate Christmas with you here. He's having a party tonight, you know." Daphne told him. She carried his suitcase. As Freddy watched her, he thought she looked different. It hadn't been long since he'd last seen her, but there was something about her that had changed. He knew she was engaged, but that wasn't it. It was almost as if her thoughts were somewhere else.

"How is his back?" His mother had mentioned that stress could have something to do with it. That had made Freddy feel guilty, too. After all, he had caused his father some grief.

"Oh, it's much better, don't worry about him. Sometimes he is such a baby." Usually she would have giggled after a comment like that. She hardly smiled. Freddy wondered what was bothering her, but he didn't dare to ask.

"I'm glad. It's pretty cool to be with dad at Christmas." He was trying to make conversation, but Daphne just nodded. Had he been younger, he would have asked her about it. He was too old to act childish.

The drive to his father's place took forever. At least it seemed like it to Freddy. When they finally arrived, he almost jumped out of the car. He had certainly expected it to go differently. Daphne was always so nice to him. No matter what he did wrong, she always treated him like a prince. Not this time. Freddy was certain it had to with what he'd done the last time he'd been here. He followed her silently. He knew a party was planned for the night. Maybe his father would show him off to his friends. Freddy was used to that; his mother did it, too, all the time. It was why it sometimes annoyed him to be an only child. He always had to be the good, the model child.

"Freddy!" His grandfather grinned, opened his arms wide. The boy couldn't help but smile and hug him. He smelled somewhat funny; a little bit like dog, but also like bacon. His grandfather always smelled like bacon even if he hadn't had any.

"Your father will be back soon. He forgot some special kind of wine or something."

"That's fine." Freddy said. Daphne had put his suitcase by the couch. He took it into his father's bedroom. He looked around as if searching for something. Maybe a sign that things had changed, but it all looked the same. So he went back to the living room.

Daphne was putting up some decorations. Just looking at her, Freddy felt that certain sting in his heart. He knew it had to be love. It couldn't be anything else. Whenever he smelled almonds, he thought of her. The way she would hug him and the way she loved him – even though she was not related to him. His aunt Maris had never loved him. If she had, Freddy would have been surprised. She had always scared him. He had never told his uncle Niles, but he was glad he was no longer married to her. Freddy knew that he, too, liked Daphne. Adults were complicated when it came to love. Uncle Niles had never told Daphne about his feelings.

"Hey, babe." Freddy watched with envy as Daphne's fiancé, Donny, walked into the apartment as if it were his own. He was a small man with dark, curly hair. The boy didn't think they made a great couple. Suddenly he felt that if he couldn't be with Daphne himself, he wanted his uncle Niles to marry her. Somehow he had to get some together.

As soon as possible.

**End, part I**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Finally the second and last part. I'm sorry it took so long. I'm sick and I couldn't make myself write. Now I'm just sorry it turned out kind of long. Hope you enjoy anyway.

Freddy felt sick watching Donny and Daphne. He didn't know enough about love, but he felt like he knew Daphne and she deserved someone better. Donny was nice enough, but he was nothing special. Unlike Daphne, who was special in Freddy's eyes. His mother would have called the small man "street smart". Freddy guessed that he was. There was no real sophistication about him. Freddy thought of his uncle Niles. For all the things he didn't have, he was definitely sophisticated. He was rich, too; at least Freddy thought he was. As he watched Daphne, he realized she needed a man with money.

He had to watch the happy couple for almost an hour before his uncle Niles finally arrived. He was so happy to see him that he didn't notice the change in Daphne.

"Uncle Niles!"

Freddy sounded like a small child and immediately stopped himself, remembering that he had a plan. He offered his uncle his hand, just like he had been taught. Always be polite, no matter the family relations. Luckily, his uncle had been raised similarly. The first thing he noticed was the absence of Niles' girlfriend. Freddy felt like his plan might actually work. Maybe he could get rid of Donny, too. If he did it well enough, his father would be proud of him and forget his childish scheme to get a mini bike. Freddy knew he could do it.

As expected, his father showed him off. He was presented to several party guests as if he were some kind of trophy. Normally, Freddy didn't mind but that way he couldn't work on his plan to set up Daphne with his uncle Niles. Whenever his father talked, Freddy looked around. Donny was always with Daphne, holding on to her as if he knew he could lose her any moment. As the evening progressed, Freddy was no longer sure his plan – whatever it was – would work out.

"Dad, can I get something to drink?" Freddy asked exhausted. His father just stared at him.

"Of course you can get something to drink. Why are you asking? Go on." His father laughed and gave him a soft push. Freddy saw Daphne head into the kitchen and followed her immediately. She smiled at him, but still, her mind seemed to be somewhere else.

"I'm thirsty." Freddy said. He rolled his eyes, realizing he once again sounded like a little child. Who would ever take him serious if he acted like that? But Daphne handed him a glass full of punch. Freddy just looked at the brownish beverage. The smell of alcohol hit his nose and made him feel sick.

"I can't drink that." He told her. Suddenly he realized that he was really thirsty.

"Oh Freddy, I'm so sorry! I really don't know where me thoughts are lately." She quickly opened the fridge and handed him a cold soda. Freddy gulped it down. Daphne watched him. He wondered if she wanted to ask him something, because she sure looked like it. Before she had a chance though, his uncle Niles walked in.

"Oh, hello." He said awkwardly. Freddy knew about his uncle's feeling, but Daphne's behavior was new to him. Maybe there was hope! He grinned stupidly, which distracted the adults from their own problems.

"Freddy, are you alright?" His uncle Niles asked. He was always worried about his well-being. Freddy guessed it was because he was often sick as well.

"Oh, I'm fine uncle Niles. Very fine. I was just thirsty. Das has been showing me off tonight." His uncle nodded, then looked at Daphne again. She seemed to be lost in thought.

"Daphne?" Niles asked and she startled. The punch glass she'd been holding fell to the ground and shattered. In the kitchen, the sound was deafening, outside no one even took notice.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" Her voice was torn between anger and tears. Both Freddy and his uncle crouched down to gather the glass together.

"Freddy, please don't. If you cut yourself…" Daphne trailed off. So Freddy let her take his place. Unfortunately, he picked that moment to ask his uncle about the whereabouts of his girlfriend. In hindsight, he realized his mistake.

"Uncle Niles, where is your new girlfriend?" It wasn't his uncle who cut his hand, but Daphne. She yelped in pain. Freddy almost fainted when he saw the blood. So much blood… He had to sit down.

"Let me see." His uncle Niles couldn't stand blood either, so Freddy was proud of him when he took Daphne's hand and fought against it.

"Freddy hand me a towel or something." He ordered the boy. With wobbly knees, Freddy went to get a kitchen towel. While his uncle Niles tended the wound, he hope no one would come in and destroy the moment. Freddy watched them as if they were a romantic couple in a Hollywood movie. He didn't care for these movies, but it was Daphne and his uncle Niles. He cared for them. At least to some degree.

"Thank you, Dr. Crane." Daphne mumbled. She leaned against his uncle, but Freddy didn't think she noticed.

"We have to clean it. Maybe we even have to go to the hospital, have it checked out. I'll tell Donny to-"

"No, please don't." All three of them were surprised. Daphne blushed and looked away. Freddy wished the mistletoe he had seen in the living room earlier was here right now. A kiss usually solved each and every problem. Suddenly he was convinced that all they needed was one kiss. His heart beat fast – if he could get the mistletoe and…

"Niles, Daphne, what happened?" Of course his father had to come in and destroy the moment. Freddy sighed. In a moment, both Daphne and his uncle Niles stood up as if they had done something forbidden.

"Daphne cut herself!" Freddy answered for the adults, because they seemed unable to form words.

"Get a band-aid on and clean this mess up! Freddy, you better come out of there." His father looked at him expectantly, but Freddy couldn't leave. Someone needed to help these two – in so many ways.

"I think I'll just help Daphne clean up. It was kind of my fault."

"Freddy-"

"Daphne, no. If it was his fault, he needs to apologize and clean it up." There was mild disappointment in his father's voice, but Freddy didn't care at the moment. There were other things he had to take care of first.

"Why did you say it was your fault?" Daphne asked. She stood close to him and her scent filled his nostrils. His decision to help his uncle wavered for just a moment.

"It was, I mean… you cut yourself after I asked about, you know." Now both adults blushed. Freddy had to keep himself from grinning. It was so easy to manipulate them! He had to control his temper. After all, his manipulation talents had already caused a huge mess – and it hadn't worked out. This time it had to work out.

"That wasn't your fault, Freddy." Daphne glanced at Niles quickly. Apparently she didn't know either why the other woman hadn't shown up.

"For your information," his uncle Niles started and tried not to look at Daphne while he said it, "Mel and I broke up. It was well, a misunderstanding."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, Dr. Crane." Freddy thought she didn't sound sorry at all. Could it be that Daphne had feelings for his uncle after all? He had hoped it, of course, but now he was almost certain.

"It was all Frasier's fault anyway," he cleared his throat, remembered Freddy was in the room. He gave his nephew an apologetic smile and picked up the last pieces of broken glass.

"I'm going to get you a band-aid." Freddy offered. Before either of them could stop him, he ran to the bathroom, found what he was looking for and headed for the living room. His last hope was that no one had removed the mistletoe. For whatever reason, his father had put it next to the balcony. Who stood there? Freddy thought and quickly snatched it away. No one had seen him. He hid it behind his back and luckily both Daphne and his uncle were too busy taking care of the wound so they didn't pay attention to him.

He was too small. His attempt to hang the mistletoe above the kitchen door failed, because he was too small. His grandfather watched him curiously and walked over to him. His plan was destroyed.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Freddy said quickly trying to hide the mistletoe.

"Hoping to kiss someone?" His grandfather grinned.

"No. I wanted someone else to kiss." Freddy mumbled.

"Who?" His grandfather had always been curious. Probably because he was a detective, Freddy figured.

"No one, grandpa."

"Well, don't tell me then. I need to tell Niles Mel called though."

"No, no, no." Freddy gently pushed his grandfather farther away from the kitchen.

"I don't like her either, but I can't just not tell him."

"You can't tell him! I'm trying to make him and Daphne kiss!" He sounded like a small boy, whining about the unfairness of the world.

"You what?!"

"Grandpa, shhh!"

"You can't make them kiss – Daphne is engaged!" He whispered angrily.

"But she loves uncle Niles!" Freddy defended his actions. He was the best liar in the family, he knew that much.

"Did she tell you that?"

"Yes." The lie came easily. Everyone would thank him once this was all over. Maybe this was the way to get his mini bike. For a moment he lost himself in the fantasy and forgot why he had started all of this in the beginning.

"Well… I do like Daphne so much better than Mel and she and Donny just don't…"

"They don't fit."

"Right, but Freddy we can't just-"

"Of course we can." Freddy stared at his grandfather, who seemed to remember something. His eyes drifted off into the distance, into the kitchen where he watched his son take care of Daphne's cut. They seemed to be talking to each other, smiling. They already looked like lovers, Freddy thought.

"Ok, I'm in. What do I have to do?"

"We need to hang the mistletoe and make them kiss!"

"Why is it so important for them to kiss?"

"Grandpa have you never watched a romantic movie?" Freddy sighed audibly and his grandfather just shrugged.

Finally they found a party guest neither of them knew who was tall. He helped them install the mistletoe over the bathroom door. He was too drunk to understand the difference between kitchen and bathroom.

Freddy had lost all hope that he could make them both stand there. He watched as Daphne joined Donny and how his uncle Niles stared longingly after her. It just wasn't fair. Someone called for Christmas music and of course his father was the first to sit down at the piano and play something. Soon the party guests joined in and sang along. Freddy didn't feel like singing. Suddenly Daphne was next to him and offered him her hand. People had started dancing and she wanted him to dance with her! Thanks to his mother he was schooled in the art of dancing. He had never needed those skills before.

"You're a good dancer, Frederick Crane." He smiled at her, because finally he had a new plan.

It was easy enough to steer Daphne towards the bathroom. His grandfather was directing uncle Niles towards the same destination. Freddy made small talk to distract Daphne. She laughed out loud and the sound was so beautiful that he almost fell over his own feet. He stopped in front of the bathroom door and pretended not to know how they had ended up there.

"Mistletoe!" he yelled out. His uncle Niles stood there dumbfounded. Only when he saw his father standing next to Freddy, both grinning broadly, did he realize that this was not a coincidence.

"What? Where?" Daphne didn't notice the two matchmakers. Niles pointed up and she simply mouthed an 'oh', unable to speak.

"You have to kiss." Freddy stated.

"We'll leave you two alone." His grandfather dragged Freddy away from the scene. He had planned all of this and now he wasn't allowed to watch it. He would never understand grown ups. He found himself at the other side of the room and couldn't hear a word the two were saying over there. He tried to read their lips, but it was impossible. They seemed to forget the world around them. Carefully his uncle Niles put his hands on Daphne's waist, who watched in wonderment as he did so. Their faces were close, but they weren't touching. What were they waiting for? Freddy wanted to scream at them to finally kiss before someone saw them there. Their mouths met in slow motion. For a moment Freddy thought he merely imagined it. It was just like in all those movies his mother sometimes watched and later denied to have any knowledge of. Just like that. A romantic kiss. That true love stuff and everything. Freddy grinned.

His plan had worked.

At least he had set something in motion. After all, he couldn't do everything for them.

Happily, he joined his father and secretly wished for his mini bike. Maybe he could ask his uncle Niles for one… he wondered. He stole one last glance at the kissing couple. His uncle Niles definitely owed him one.

**END**


End file.
